Odd policies stifling development - Electric vehicle specialist Octopus Electric Vehicles Employee Review

Great benefits Lovely people Social events Inclusive culture Monday and Friday free lunches in London Nice office Positive goals for the environment etc.

Octopus used to be a great place to work, but many staff members have since left and it's not the same. External hiring brought in poor management, and culture changed dramatically, with the senior leadership team having little training and bad communication. The company would be a much better place to work if it had HR. A lack of HR has led to poor handling of situations, and staff are left unable to raise issues. Most complaints are about management, but management are the ceiling. It can be quite cult-like, with staff who have worked there a long time unable to take criticism against the company. Progression is poor unless you are a favourite, and have never spoken up about issues before. I've given 3 stars as for the most part, working there was enjoyable, but the customer success team as a whole is not a team you want to join.

Some amazing benefits you won’t find in your usual corporate job. You can really progress your management/communication/problem solving skills here. There’s no micro-managing, the role can become what you want it to be because you’re responsible for yourself and the work you put in (also a con with this below). Everyone is very kind and caring. The inclusivity here is amazing; you will find people of all walks of life, all ages, all backgrounds. The company arranges cool and fun socials that really let you relax and get to know your colleagues on a friendship level. Your team leaders are always happy to assist, and mistakes aren’t looked down upon - they will just build you up. You can access free therapy, gyms, courses, wellbeing products, etc.

Recently, the workload has been a significant challenge for many colleagues I’ve spoken with. There doesn’t seem to be enough of us to allow us to leave for the day feeling fulfilled - it’s more so an anxiety knowing what you’re returning to the next day. This has made it harder to avoid burnout or disengagement during day-to-day tasks. While I understand that workload can fluctuate throughout the year, it would be beneficial to see increased hiring to support this growth, as it currently feels like it may be impacting employee wellbeing. At times, the workload doesn’t feel fully reflected in the level of pay. I also think the progression framework could use some refinement. It provides helpful structure and direction, but certain criteria feel less within employees’ control - for example, Trustpilot targets. I don’t believe we should put this deciding factor of a promotion into the willingness and patience of the general public, especially when the struggle of workload impacts our ability of maintaining the trust pilot goal. However, Octopus is a fast changing company and love to hear feedback to ensure they are doing what’s best for the world and the employees, so I’m sure there are less cons and more pros to come.